This post is part of a Why I Give series about where Austinites learned the importance of giving back to those around them. We’d love to hear your inspirational stories – or even see photos of your current or past volunteering efforts – about who planted this seed of generosity in your own heart and how you carry it on today. Send an email to abroyles@statesman.com or use the #seasonforcaring hashtag on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

A year into his philanthropy, Buck Schroeter, then 14, sits in his garage in front of some of the gifts he has collected. Buck, with help from his family and friends, organizes a mini store in the hospital where sick kids can come pick out gifts to give at Christmas, since they are unable to shop while they stay at the hospital. File photo by Courtney Dudley / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

Tomorrow, more than 300 kids at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas will get to shop at Buck’s Barn and choose more than 1,000 gifts to give to their family and friends. They can even get it wrapped.

The idea came from Buck Schroeter, who had leukemia as a child and is now in college. He and his family have organized this event since 2007.

He has said, “One of the hardest things about my illness was being in the hospital during Christmas and not being able to shop for or give Christmas presents to my family and friends.

“I thought that other kids in the hospital must be going through the same thing, so I decided that I would come up with a way to give them the opportunity to get and give Christmas presents while in the hospital,” Schroeter said.